Dental film holder



Feb. 10, 1931. ELLIOTT 1,792,005

DENTAL FILM HOLDER Filed Sept. 9, 1926 @HHWHM INVENIOR ATTORNEYJPatented Feb. 10, 1931 KEBTON F. ELLIOTT, OI ELYRIA, OHIO Dunn. FILMHOLDER Application filed September 9, 1926. Serial No. 134,481.

My invention relates to racks or trays for supporting films or platessuch as dental X-ray films for immersion in developing or other liquids.

5 It usually has been the practicehere'tofore to-s'upport films,particularly dental film's, in a tank of developing or other liquid bymeans of a spring metal clip or other device which of necessity must ripthe film to support 11:. Often it has been 51c practice of the operatorto dip the film into a solutionwhil'e holding the same between hisfingers. Such practices result in disfigurigg the film andemulsion whenclips are us since the jaws of such clips are usually toothed to insurea tightgrip upon the film whilenormally sup orting the film'in theliquid. The films there ore become subjected to finger prints and otherdefacing marks.

J dental or other films or plates for immersion in a developing liquidwithout defacing the emulsion on the film and without injury to thefilm. I I 7 Another object ofmy invention is to support a plurality offilms or plates'for immer} sion in a developing solution whereby eachtion will become more apparent from the fol-' lowing description ofseveral embodiments ther'eoflreference being made to'the' drawingsvvhichform a part of this specification and in which like reference charactersare employed to designate like parts throughout thesame.

4& Fig.1- is a s1 It'is an object ofmyinventionto support de'elevationof'one modification of my invention showing the same immersed in one ofthe fluid compartments of a developing tank. This view shows the tankpartly broken away.

Fi i 2 is a front elevation of the invention forming this modificationshowingthe film holding rack partly withdrawn from the frame.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged'section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a second modification of m invention. 7

Fi 5 is a out elevation of the same showin t e film retaining elementspartly lifted.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a third form of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view showing the film guide and retainingmembers.

Fig. 10 is an unassembled plan view in detail of one of the film holdingmembers used in connection with the forms shown in Figs. 4 to 9,inclusive, and,

Fig. 11 is adetail inelevation of one of the film holding members.

I have provided means for supporting a plurality of dental or otherfilms or plates in a frame whereby the principal surfaces of the filmsor plates supported thereby may be fully exposed to contact with aliquid in which the supporting means may be immersed, while contactbetween the support-' ing means and the principalfac'es of the films orplates and theconsequent marring of these faces due to sticking,etc.,'is eliminated.

In carrying out my invention and as shown in the drawings, particularlyFi s. 1 and 2, which are illustrative of the preferred form of myinvention, I provide a substantially U-shaped frame" 5 comprisinglongitudinal. vertical arms 5 and a' substantially horizontal connectingarm 6, each of the arms 5 and 6 being substantially U-sliaped in crosssection to' provide channels 7 whereby the film or plate holding rackmay telescope within the frame as shown in Fig. 1.

The upper extremities of the arms 5 may be connected by means of aflexible strap 8, preferably "formed of non-corrosive spring metal, sothat movement of the arms 5 toward each other, as when the frame is heldbetween the fingers and thumb of the operators hand and pressure isapplied to move the arms 5 slightly toward each other, the strap 8 willbe flexed outwardly of the frame. The purpose of flexing the strap willbe described more fully hereinafter.

The film or plate supporting rack may comprise a central longitudinalstem or body member 9 having substantially V-shaped channels formedlongitudinally thereof on opposite sides as at 10 and 11, the respectivelongitudinal edges of the substantially V- shaped channels being roundedas at 12.

I provide a plurality of oppositely projecting transverse film or platesupporting arms 18, each secured at its inner endto the centrallongitudinal body member 9. These film supporting arms may be arrangedin spaced relation one above the other along the stem 9 and may projecton opposite sides thereof as shown more clearly inFig; 2, the extremeouter ends of the arms on the respective opposite sides of the rackbeing adapted to ex tend into and slide within the channels 7 in therespective arms of the U-shaped frame.

Each of the arms 13 is preferably constructed of complementarysubstantially V- shaped sections 14; and 15, secured together at theirbases and having their longitudinal edges 15 rounded. One manner ofsecurirg the sections together is to arrange-them so that the arm of oneVsection forms all-shaped channel with an adjacent arm of anothersection for receiving one of the film or plate edges. I may, if desired,also arrangethe sections so that the film or plate edge will be receivedbetween the adjacent arms of the same V section as shown in Fig. 3. Ineither event, when the arms are assembled upper and lower substantiallyV-shaped channels are formed along the arms. The method of form ing thechannels as described above may be employed in the coi'istructionof themodifications of my invention which are described below.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 again, the upper end of the stem 9 extendsabove the upper pair of transverse arms and terminates in a handlepreferably in the form of a hook 16, whereby the rack may be assembledand disassembled within the frame 5 and whereby the rack together withthe frame may be inserted into andremoved from a suitable develop ingtank such as shown at 17, containing suitable developing or otherliquid. The tank used in connection with my invention preferablyconsists of several vertical compartments each containing a differentliquid, such as a developing liquid, water and a fixer, although I mayemploy a plurality of tanks each containing a different solution. Iprovide means for supporting the rack and frame within the tank whichmay consist of a cross member 18 secured to the stem 9, its endsextending beyond the outer ends of the arms 13 on either side. The endsof the cross member maybe bent as 19 to provide a flat surface forcontacting with certain of the upper edges of the tank walls. It will benoted that when the rack is so supported within the tank or any one ofits compartments the bottom arm 6 of the frame is out of contact withthe bottom of the tank and the side arms 5 are spaced from the sidewalls of the tank.

I provide means for locking the rackwith in the frame which may consistof a pin, or the like, 20 secured to the stem 9 for engagement with thelower edge of the flexible strap 8 as showirin Fig.1. To release therack from the frame it is therefore only necessary to compress the arms5 so that the strap will be flexed whereupon its lower edge'will moveout of the path of the pin. The rack may then be withdrawn from theframe by pulling upon the handle while holding the frame in the otherhand. The operation is reversed inassembling the rack with the frame;The films or plates'22 to be developed may be inserted endwise betweenthesuperimpo's'ed adedges of the films or plates contacting with theadjacent walls of the channels formed in the respective arms. After thefilms or plates have been assembled in the rack, the rack may beassembled in the frame as describedabove.

I have provided drain holes 24 for each of the arms 13 preferablylocated at the junction of the inner ends of the respective arms withthe stem '9, so that the liquid in which the rack is immersed will bedrained effece tively from the films or plates and from the channels,thus eifectinga quicker and more uniform drying of the films after thelast bath, and preventingthe films or plates from sticking to thechannel walls.-

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated a second embodiment of my inventionwhich is' preferably in the form of a tray. V

In this'embodiment, the tray may consist of a frame having longitudinalbottom rails 31 spaced apart by a series of transverse film or plateholding members 32. Upper longitudinal and transverse rails 38 and 34respectively are provided for reinforcing the frame, one of thetransverse members 34 having hingedly connected thereto at 35 a pairofparallel film retaining members 36 and 37 respectively. Theseretainers extend longitudinally of the tray and are movableindependently of each other, the opposite ends being formed to snap overthe other transverse rail 34- as at 38. The film or tray holding members32 shown in detail in Fig. 11,

gacen'tflchanneled arms, the, upper andlow'er lit are formed with outersubstantially vertical arms 39 and 40 respectively. Intermediate each ofthe arms 39 and 40 is another vertical arm 41. It is to be understoodthat I may employ more than one arm 41, depending upon the width'of thetray and the size and number of films or plates I desire to carry in thetray. Each of the arms 39, 40 and 41, together with the transversemember 42 is channeled as at 43 forming a cross section of substantiallyV-shape for the purpose described in connection with the firstembodiment. In the present showing, reference being made to Fig. 4, itwill be noted that the film holding members 32 each comprise alignedsubstantially U-shaped film receiving and holding compartments eachcompartment having a continuous substantially V-shaped film receivingchannel 43. The tray constructed in accordance with this modification ofmy invention may be immersed bodily into a tank containing developing orother liquids. The tray may be removed from the tank if desired bygrasping the side rails 33 with a suitable tool or hook. Drain holes 30,may also be provided in the bottom rails of 2. A photographic negativeholder comprising a rack and a support, said rack comprising a pluralityof spaced parallel chansignature.

M. F. ELLIOTT.

the film holding members to drain oil the excess of liquid from thechannels.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 I have illustrated another modification of myinvention which is similar to that shown in Figs. 4 and 5, except that Ihave omitted the upper longitudinal members 33 shown in thatmodification. In

the present modification I provide a film or plate retaining elementhingedly connected at 51 to the cross member 52 and extendinglongitudinally of the tray above the film compartments. The free end 53of the retainer is bent downwardly as at 54 and is apertured at 55. Thisaperture is adapted to receive a pin 56 secured to an arm 41 whereby theretaining member 50 may be snapped into locked position as shown in Fig.6. A second aperture 57 is provided in the end 53 whereby the entiretray may be suspended from a hook or other implement into a tank or thelike. Drain holes 30 may likewise be formed in the bottom rails of thefilm holding elements to carr ofi' an excess of liquid that mayaccumulate in the channels.

It is to be understood that various changes may be made in theconstruction of the apparatus embodying my invention without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or the scope of the sub]oined claims.

I claim:

1. A photographic negative holder, comprising a rack and a support, saidrack comprising a plurality of spaced parallel channelled guides adaptedto receive a plurality of negatives, said support including a U shapedchannel member, the extremities of the guides being disposed in thechannel member and being slidable therein to prevent removal of saidnegatives.

